Let It All Out
“I’d like a double cheeseburger and someone to fill the lonely void.”
It’s been four months since Jackie left, four horrendous, heart-wrenching months of keeping all the anguish and hurt you feel inside bottled up so as to convince family and friends that you’re “okay” or “really better off” or “not thinking about wrapping the car around a telephone pole every time Phil Collins’ ‘Against All Odds’ comes on the radio’. But the magma of your depression and loneliness can only be trapped under the crust of self-delusion for so long and, buddy, you are about to get all Mt. Vesuvius if you don’t find release soon.
It all starts when you hear a gentle, soothing voice say, “Hi! Can I help you?” Maybe she can, you think to yourself. Maybe she can.
You begin by telling her that you just don’t know how it all went wrong. You and Jackie had been so happy in the three years you were together. Blissful, even. Every new day was the start of a bold new expedition into the depths of love and caring. You tell her about those special times when the two of you would lie on the couch in each other’s arms and how that simple act could bring about the wondrously warm, glowing feeling of having a heart so full that it just might burst. And then one day, Jackie just didn’t love you anymore. You tell the voice that, too.
“I’m… I’m so sorry,” she says. “That sounds really horrible. Would you like to try one of our extra value combos tonight?”
You indicate that you would like a large “Number 11” with onion rings, then tell her that the saddest part is how badly you miss just staring into her eyes and talking to Jackie. Even when you were far apart, you could still see her shining face via the Creative Labs Live! Cam Video IM Pro. You tell the voice all about the way you used to make up little skits to perform in front of the webcam to show her how much you missed her, all recorded in 800×600 resolution at 30 frames per second. You tell her about how easy the Plug-and-Play USB functionality made the webcam to install, almost as easy as falling in love with Jackie. She may not be able to hear you talk about the other features, like the smart face tracking, 1.3 megapixel still image capture, and parental controls over the incessant honking from the cars behind you, but you make sure to speak up when you get to the part where Jackie broke it off suddenly via video chat. You can still hear her words as they were captured by the built-in microphone with noise cancellation every time there’s a long silence.
“It sounds like you really loved her,” says the voice from the brightly-lit LED order screen. “Even though it’s over, you’re still really lucky to have experienced that. There are millions of people in the world who never will, you know. Maybe a frosty chocolate milkshake to go with your meal will give you a little comfort, no matter how fleeting it might be.”
You agree with her that comfort is just what you need and ask if she can make that an extra-large. “Sure. No problem, friend. That’ll be $7.13. Please drive through.”
When you pick up your meal, you meet the person who was on the other end of the conversation, a nice middle-aged woman with a warm smile. Neither of you will say anything about the conversation you’ve just shared as you pay for your meal and drive away, but in your bag will be a free cherry turnover and a napkin with the word “It’s going to get better” scrawled on it in pen. For the first time in a while, you truly believe that.
Warranty: 90 Day Woot Limited Warranty
Features:
- 640×480 pixel sensor that allows you to capture video at full resolution, it also features software enhancements to let you take up to 1.3MP stills (1280×960)
- Video capture at 800×600 resolution, 30 frames per second
- Live! View technology delivers smooth video with a natural look; producing sharp, vibrant images with accurate white balance and superior light exposure
- Advanced Video FX software allows you to add cool effects and backgrounds to your video chats
- Built-in microphone with noise cancellation
- Manually adjustable focus ring
- Parental control feature
- Smart face tracking
- Plug-and-Play USB functionality
- Multi-attach base with rubber grip works on desktop and notebook PCs
Specifications:
- Image Sensor: 640×480
- Focus: Manual
- Lens: 3.22mm f/2.5
- Effective Pixels: 640×480
- Still Image Capture: 1.3MP
- Video Capture: 640×480
- Audio: Integrated Microphone
- Connector: USB
- Dimensions: 3.25" (H) x 1.75" (W) x 1.75" (D)
System Requirements (PC ONLY):
- Intel Pentium III 933 MHz or AMD equivalent processor
- Windows 98/ME/2000/XP (Windows 7 with Driver Update)
- 128MB RAM
- 200 MB free disk space (excluding third party software installation)
- CD-Rom Drive
- USB Port 1.1 or higher
- Display adapter capable of 16-bit color
Additional Photos:
In the box:
- Creative Labs Live! Cam Video IM Pro
- Software CD
